have been for similar offences, which certainly was unjust.
6. But the bishops were unwilling to let the king have any thing to do with church affairs, and the Pope encouraged them to oppose him, in this respect; for the Pope, in those days, had more power over all Europe than the kings themselves, who seldom dared to disobey him.
7. The person who quarrelled most with Henry about these things was Thomas à Becket, archbishop of Canterbury, a very proud man, who wanted to rule both king and state his own way.
8. The king was so much annoyed at the opposition he constantly met with from the archbishop, that one day, in a fit of passion, he said he wished that troublesome priest was dead; on which some persons, who heard these incautious words thinking to get into favor, rode off to Canterbury, and killed the archbishop in his Cathedral.
9. But they gained nothing by this wicked deed; for the king was shocked when he heard of it, and sorry for what he had said; which shows how wrong it is for people to use violent expressions when they feel angry.
10. One very remarkable event which occurred in this reign, was the conquest of Ireland. That
